Awaab's Law - Guidance for tenants in Scotland - Easy Read version

The signs and causes of damp

Damp happens when there is too much water in the air or walls. This can cause mould to grow. There are different kinds of damp.

• traumatic damp
• rising damp
• penetrating damp
• condensation

Traumatic damp is caused by a sudden bad event, like a burst pipe.

This picture shows what damp and mould might look like. It was made by a computer.

Rising damp comes up from the ground. It usually only affects the ground floor. The landlord must usually fix this.

This picture shows what damp and mould might look like. Not all rising damp will look like this. The picture was made by a computer.

What you might see outside near the bottom of the wall:

• strange colour bricks or stone
• crumbly bricks or stone
• moss

What it might be like inside:

• a stained line going across the wall
• flakes or bubbles low down on walls
• rotten skirting boards
• damp smell, maybe from carpets
• damp carpets

Penetrating damp gets into a property from outside because something is wrong with part of the building. Like the walls or roof. The landlord must usually fix this.

This picture shows what damp and mould might look like. Not all penetrating damp will look like this. The picture was made by a computer.

What it might be like inside:

• damp patches on walls and ceilings
• strange coloured patches on walls and ceilings
• flakes or bubbles on walls
• rot on wood or inside the roof
• bad or mouldy smell
• mould on walls, carpets

What it might look like outside:

• dark patches or mould on walls
• plants in gutters
• plants in cracks

Condensation is when humid air touches a cold wall or window. Humid is when there is lots of water in the air. The water goes from the air onto the wall. This lets mould grow.

This picture shows what damp and mould might look like. Not all condensation will look like this. The picture was made by a computer.

What it might look like:

• water drops on surfaces
• visible mould